The Diary of Lucinda Birchwood
by Bronte95
Summary: Have you ever been forced to go on a family vacation? "It sounds like a real party" says Lucinda sarcastically. Will things turn out to be actually fun? Find out in this story of adventure, romance, and comedy.
1. Why do I have to go?

**The Diary of Lucinda Birchwood**

Day 1

"Do we have to go on this vacation," I asked? My name is Lucinda Birchwood. My mother is making me write a journal of our summer vacation. I am not the type of girl who writes in a diary so I don't know how good I will do. I also don't want you to think I am going to be all "dear diary this and dear diary that." Telling you all the boys I like and who is cute and who I love. So back to my story. I live in the outskirts of Kansas. We were on our way to Pennsylvania to see the Amish country. I wasn't the kind of girl who liked to leave my home so I wasn't so psyched to go on this vacation. This trip so far is going horrible because my little brother is being sooo annoying. "Will you play tic-tac-toe with me Lucy?" "No," I shouted at my little pain of a brother. "Mommy, Lucy is being men to me!" "I'll show you mean," I shouted and pinched him. We started to get into a catfight just when we pulled up to the nearest McDonald's to eat. "Hey," yelled daddy "If you don't stop, I am going to punish you both!" So we all went into the restaurant and I ordered the chicken burger with fries. While we were eating my dad talked about some of the things we were going to do in Amish country. "We are going to sleep in a real farm, go on a horse and buggy ride, and go see the Amish museum! Doesn't that sound like fun?" asked daddy. "Oh ya, that sounds like a real party," I said sarcastically.

Day 2

Last night we spent the night in a motel with a whole bunch of cracks in the walls. I could barely sleep the whole night because I am deathly afraid of cockroaches and they could get in through the cracks. When I told my mom this she just laughed and told me not to worry about it. But if you know what a 'deathly fear' is, you can't just get over it that easily, so now I am yawning in our car and trying not to fall asleep. We are about one third of the way to Pennsylvania. Daddy and mommy keep singing a campfire song with George (my little brother) and it is starting to get on my nerves…well actually it has been on my nerves for the last 20 minutes. They started singing 21 minutes ago. Right now they are singing "Do You Know The Muffin Man" and whenever I ask them to stop mommy just says "if you don't want to hear it, get your own house, and your own car." That is what she says when she mean just to get over it and be quiet. So I am listening to my mp3 player and just trying to ignore them. After about three hours in the boring car we finally stopped to go to the bathroom and have some lunch.

Later that day

After we ate lunch we stopped at a local park to 'exercise our bodies.' We always do that on long drives because daddy says that if we don't exercise we will end up like hobos. So I went on the swing and George went to go on the slide. After we played for like 20 minutes we got back into the car and continued our drive. Right now I'm so tired I could fall asleep on a hard ground. Anyways, we are just riding in the car when all of a sudden a big, fat, ugly something pops up in front of the car. After daddy screeches on the brakes, he jumps out of the car and sees a hitchhiker lying on the roadside. Mommy jumps out and tells George and me to stay here. We watch mommy and daddy talking to the man and when they come back into the car, he comes with them and sits right between George and me. So here we are driving (once more) in our car. Now with some freaky hobo looking guy sitting so close to me I can smell his stinky breath.


	2. The amazing guy!

Day 3

Turns out yesterday that guy wasn't a hitchhiker after all. He was just a man whose car broke down on the freeway. He came with us and we dropped him off at one of his relative's house. When he was gone, daddy explained to us what happened and that was that. Luckily today is the day we are going to make it to Pennsylvania. And also, mommy bought us some toys and stuff to pass the time. But of course something had to happen to stall us from getting there. After we are lunch instead of going to another park, we went souvenir shopping. I hate souvenir shopping because mommy collects snow globes, so it always takes her forever to find the 'perfect' one. I decided to go into a jewelry store to get some bracelets for my friends back home in Kansas. But when I got into the store, I saw the most amazing boy I have ever seen in my life. He had the most amazing eyes I have ever seen and his hair was golden brown with blonde highlights. The only problem was that my mom was standing right there so I couldn't go and talk to him. My mom said to hurry up because she wanted to go into the antique shop across the street. "Mom," I sad, "don't you think that I'm old enough to be in here all by myself? I mean I am 14 and I go to the library by myself at home." Mommy looked at me and then told me she would let me, but to come find her at the antique shop in half an hour. As soon as she stepped out the door I went over to talk to this amazing guy. "Hey, my name is Lucy," I said to him. "Sup," he said back, "I'm Garrett." I looked into his beautiful eyes and melted. I couldn't even talk. Usually I'm good with talking to boys, but this one was just so, so cute. Then, the magic words came out of his pure lips. "So do you want to go get some ice cream?" That's when I cracked. "Yes!!!" I shouted. The whole entire shop stopped what they were doing and looked at me like I was crazy or something. I blushed and we went to get some ice cream.

Day 4

Yesterday was amazing. After we got ice cream we talked and we are going to meet on my way back from Pennsylvania! Luckily, I got back to the jewelry shop just in time to find my mom coming over. So now I am in our hotel at Pennsylvania and we are resting up because later we are going to the museum and a show late at night. So far this vacation isn't half bad. Well the reason is because of that amazing guy I met, but it is really beautiful here at the hotel. It is very sad because half of Pennsylvania is really poor and was shocked just at the sight of our expensive Mercedes Benz car. But right now my brother is playing with his legos and my parents are taking a nap together. I got a lot of sleep last night since I was so tired, so I don't really want to take a nap right now. Here are the things I found out about Garrett. He is 15, and he lives in Kentucky, where we stopped, where he was born. I am just happy because I am not allowed to date guys who are a lot older than me and he is only one year older. Well, really I'm not allowed to date anyone my parents don't know so I am breaking the rules anyway. Well, I have to go because my parents are waking up and we have to go to the museum in an hour. It's time for me to shower up and get ready to go.


	3. It's actually fun!

Day 5

Ok I know I said this was not half bad…but it's not bad at all! Last night at the museum I saw the most amazing statues and fossils. They were so realistic, that I felt they were watching our every move! It was sort of freaky, but cool all at the same time. Then the show was even cooler. It was about this Amish family and it showed how they survive and live. I did not know they didn't use television or electronics! They must have a very difficult life. How do they pass the time? Writing in journals like this? Well anyways, after the show we got 5 star steaks at the only nice restaurant in this city. It was delicious. This morning we are breakfast in the hotel's dining room and now mommy and daddy are in the workout room while me and George are sitting and amusing ourselves in the room. I wanted to go with mommy and daddy, but they said they needed a break. I am wondering what they needed a break from. Oh well, now I just get to write in this journal. When mommy and daddy come back we are going to go on the horse and buggy ride that daddy told us about before. I am so excited because I love horses. Plus, if the other stuff was fun, this will be a blast! Well, I am going to go watch some TV now so I will write to you later.

Later that day

We are on our way to the horse and buggy rental place right now. I am sooo excited!!! Mommy says that our horse is going to take us into an apple orchard and we can pick our own apples! Also, after that, we get to go into this town that has a whole bunch of apple stuff like apple cider, apple pie, apples, apple cobbler, and a whole bunch more! My favorite apple thing is caramel apples and apple cider. Well, we are there so I have to get my coat and put on my boots. But first I have to get them from my annoying little brother. He took them from me when I was writing in this journal. Wow! I just saw a whole bunch of horses so I'm going to stop writing and take some pictures.

Day 6

Wow. Yesterday was so awesome. The horse got my brother allergic though and we had to cut our ride short but all in all it was fantastic! Before George got sick, we got to pick some apples. They were so good. The best apples I have ever tasted, actually. Now the apple is my favorite fruit. We had a white horse named Snowstorm. He was so beautiful. The owners let me pet and feed him one of the apples! It was so awesome. So anyways, as soon as we got home George went to bed, so me and my parents got take out Chinese food. It was really good. I had chow mien with chicken and rice. I had some chai tea with it too. Then I went to my bed and head the book I'm reading called "Eight Thousand Buildings." It's about this girl who takes on a bunch of challenges. She hikes, kayaks, and does a lot of dangerous things. Right now it is 5:30 in the morning. I am wide-awake because I went to bed pretty early last night. I have to be really quiet because my brother and parents is sill asleep. Today is the last day we are spending here and then we will stop for one night in Kentucky. I am soo excited to see Garrett again and I hope that he remembers me. Well, I should probably try to get back to sleep, we have a big day ahead of us.

Later that day

Luckily I did get back to sleep when I put down my journal. Now we are packing and getting ready to go to the Amish farm to spend the night there tonight. I am so excited because now I will know how it feels to live here all of the time. We had to bring out breakfast up to our room because we have to hurry and get over to the farm and meet the hosts that actually live there. I have already packed so that is why I am writing in this journal. My mom said that there is going to be another family there with us tonight and there is going to be a girl about my age. This is going to be a blast! I bet you're tired of hearing that. Laugh out loud! I got to go now and get my stuff into the car. I will write later.

Later that day

Right now I am writing to you from inside the Amish home. It is so creepy and spooky. Just like the stories they tell on movies. But it was so cool. At first when we got here, they Amish family greeted us with a warm welcome and nice smiley faces. The girl who is my age is 13 and her name is Jennifer. She is so cool. We hung out in the afternoon at the lake. We skipped stones, threw sticks, and splashed each other. Then when it was time for dinner we went inside and had chicken and eggs. Then we had apple cobbler for dessert. It was so yummy. Then we all went into the family activity area and played monopoly while the Amish family told scary stories. It was sooo fun. And now here we are camping out on their porch. We all have sleeping bags and are looking up at the stars. Jennifer and I are lying by each other and she is typing up some emails to her friends back home. She lives all the way in Washington! This life would be pretty hard to live in all the time I think, but for just one day, it's pretty nice. The Amish family is bringing out their telescope now and pointing out the constellations and planets. I wish I could do that. Well I am going to go look through the telescope now because I can hear them shouting that they can see Jupiter! How exciting!


	4. It was totally worth it though

Day 7

Well right now we are on our way back to Kentucky so I am happy that I am going to see Garrett again. I am hoping that my parents will let me go out with him because I have to tell them or else they won't let me go out. They are so protective of me sometimes. If they don't know where I'm going, they won't let me go. I am prepared to tell them right now. "Mom, I met someone when we were in Kentucky." I said. "What do you mean?" she replied. "Well in the jewelry store I met this guy who is 15 and he asked me if I could go to the movies with him when we stop on our way back home." I could tell my mom was thinking about what I just said. "Absolutely not!" my mother exclaimed. I was shocked. I complained and that made her even madder. She kept saying how she couldn't believe that I would do something like this without asking her. I cried the whole way to the hotel. When we got to the hotel I ran to my room and threw myself on the bed. I was so heartbroken. I really thought my mom would agree and understand. Was she really ever a teenager? If she were, she would understand how I felt. Just then I heard a knock at my window. I opened it and standing there was Garrett! "Are you coming? I went to a lot of trouble to find out what room you were in, because I really like you, let's go!" he said. "My mom won't let me go," I pouted. But he asked me to sneak out and I did. That was really stupid to do because after the amazing night (we saw a movie, got some burgers, and he kissed me goodnight) I crawled back into the room and there were my parents waiting for me. Turns out my mom came in to say I could go and I was already gone. The police were there and everything! So now here I am sitting on my bed. I got grounded for a whole month. But I guess it was worth it. I got to kiss the most amazing guy and now my vacation is over. Well my mo said as soon as we get home I am cleaning the entire house, but as I said…totally worth it.

Day 8

I'm not going to write much today because we are just driving home and I get carsick a lot. I am really bored so I am going to listen to some music and go to sleep. This vacation was not so bad after all. I met some new friends, saw some new sights, and kissed a totally cute boy. In fact this is my favorite vacation I have ever had! Well I am going to take a nap now, so talk to you later.

Day 9(Last day)

Well we are home at long last. Now I am sitting on my bed thinking how awesome my vacation was. I just got finished unpacking my bags and printed out my photos. I will always have the memories of the best vacation ever. I'm really glad my mom made me write this journal. I think if I hadn't I would have never remembered all of my thoughts and feelings this summer. Who knows…maybe I will write another journal sometime. But for now I have got to go clean the garage. This is going to be a long, long summer.


End file.
